Star Wolves
The Star Wolves are a Chaos Space Marine Warband and once proud Chapter of Space Marines that now reside within the Maelstrom. After Inquisitorial Forces declared them Excommunicate Traitoris, the Chapter was nearly purged by the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter and forces of the Order of the Black Solstice upon the Star Wolves' homeworld of Svalbard. Under the command of their last Chapter Master and current Chaos Lord - Murthek Silvertooth - the remaining Star Wolves fled for their lives into the Maelstrom Zone. Now, the remaining two-hundred warriors fight a hate-fueled war against the Imperium of Man under the banner of the Ruinous Powers. History Pre-Banishment While it is unclear which Founding the Star Wolves hail from, they were first seen in the late 36th Millennium, where they single-handedly halted a large Ork Horde's advance within the Volkuv Sector. Under the command of Chapter Master Adolphus Skyre were the Star Wolves seen protecting the Realm of Ultima from several incursions, building a high reputation in the process. They were proud, spirited warriors who sought to quell combat at it's roots. Indeed, many planets located near the Chapter's homeworld of Svalbard were purged of defiance against the Emperor. The Chapter would return to their homeworld sometime during the 37th Millennium, where they all mourned the passing of their Chapter Master; who had been slain by a Possessed Chaos Space Marine in the campaign prior to their return. The Captains of the Chapter gathered together atop of the Star Wolves' fortress-monastery during a full moon to decide which one of them would take Adolphus' place. The end vote between the ten warriors was in favor of naming the Second Company Captain - Amarok Sköll - as Adolphus' successor. He was given Wolfsmund, the master-crafted gauntlets Skyre used in battle, as a sign of office and power. And so it was, that this created one of the Chapter's very few traditions; for each time the Chapter Master is slain, the Star Wolves' Company Captains would gather together during a full moon to decide who will take his place. Siege of Svalbard Many centuries would pass, and many new Chapter Masters would be elected throughout the ages, but the seeds of heresy would not be planted within the Chapter until the end of the 39th Millennium. Soon after successfully bringing down an Ork Waaagh!, the Chapter returned to their homeworld; only to find that a warband of Chaos Space Marines had taken hold of it while the entire Chapter had been away at war. The Chapter Fleet found themselves fired upon by their own planetary defense batteries, and with haste did Murthek Silvertooth; Chapter Master of the Star Wolves - order that they all make planetfall. It is said that the very sky was turned black as it was covered in a veil of drop pods. Once they had made planetfall, the Star Wolves soon came upon the culprits behind the sudden attack. Chaos Space Marines adorned in power armor of sickly green fired upon the warriors of the Star Wolves with relentless fury. First Captain Adaira led his Veteran Company into a relentless charge straight for the Chapter's Fortress-Monastery, while the rest of the Chapter spread out across the surface to relentlessly hunt down any heretic that dared to set foot upon their homeworld. In the end, the Siege of Svalbard came down to a titanic duel between the Chaos Space Marine garrisoned within the Star Wolves' Fortress and the Chapter's First Company Veterans. At the head of this battle were Murthek Silvertooth and the Chaos Lord who had been leading the Warband. The two warriors faced one another, weapons in hand. Silvertooth bore the Relic Gauntlets that had seen him and every previous Chapter Master of the Star Wolves through since their founding, while the Chaos Lord wielded a fell blade that practically radiated malevolence. By the end, the snow at their feet was stained red as their ichor was said to make tides of their own, dubbing the battleground between these two champions as The Sea of Blood and Tears. By the end of the duel, the sun had set and risen again upon the surface of Svalbard before Murthek Silvertooth managed to gain the upper hand on his opponent, disarming him and beheading the corrupted warrior with his own blade. It was then that the seeds of heresy were sown in the very fabrics that made up the Star Wolves, as a Daemon of Chaos that had been bound to the blade whispered it's fell thoughts into the psyche of Murthek, causing a brief lapse in judgment where the Chapter Master claimed the Champion's sword as a trophy for his victory. With their leader slain, the heretics fled the battleground, seeking refuge within the wilds when those who had taken the ships were dispatched without any restraint. It would the Chapter weeks to uncover these remaining heretics and cleanse the planet's surface of their filth. Excommunication As those weeks went on, the Daemonic Sword - which had now been placed within the Chapter's Reclusiam - continued to spread its malefic influence wherever it could. The Daemon found a prime candidate in all who frequented the Reclusiam to pay homage to heroes past or those who guarded the relics of the Star Wolves from harm. One of these victims was the Reclusiarch - Ülêric - whose stalwart mind was slowly picked apart as the Daemon sought to corrupt the young Astartes. The Master of Sanctity too, was also a target for the creature's fell influence, and while his resolve proved too strong to ultimately corrupt the Chaplain, his judgment too was malnourished as he was made unaware of his successor's slow but certain transition into an agent of the Dark Gods. Notable Campaigns *'Dolos War (Unknown date.M40)' - Centuries after they fled into the Maelstrom, the Star Wolves reappeared above the Mining World of Dolos. Known for it's rich source of adamantium, the warband planned to pillage the world of this resource to supply their warpsmith with the supplies he needed to create foul Daemon Engines. Relations Enemies and Rivals The Star Wolves, like all other Chaos Warbands have a number of enemies, including: *Praeterfactors - Many millennia ago, the Praeterfactors and Star Wolves fought side-by-side against the enemies of the Imperium, unbreakable in both defense and bond. However, since the warband was declared Excommunicate Traitoris, the Praeterfactors have sworn to hunt down their former comrades and exterminate them for betraying those they once swore to protect. Warband Organization Before their excommunication, the Star Wolves were a Codex Astartes-''compliant Chapter, following the teachings of the Ultramarines' Primarch Roboute Guilliman vigorously. They made use of a Veteran Company, Battle Companies, Reserve Companies, and a single Scout Company, and gave each Company the Codex approved trim colours. All of this was bastardized when the Chapter was nearly purged by the Inquisition. The only ones to survive the purge were members of the First Company, Seventh Company, and select few of the Eighth Company. Few in number, the Star Wolves' combat doctrine and organization was changed. The First Company is now made up of Aspiring Champions of Chaos, who each possess a keen sense of leadership and are all able to take control should the situation demand it. Each First Company Veteran is adorned in a set of Terminator Plate; each set corrupted by the Four Powers. The entirety of the First Company followed their Captain Adaira into battle until he was encased in a Contemptor-Pattern Dreadnought. They now answer to the Terminator Veteran Sergeant; Thajik. The Seventh Company - which is comprised entirely of Tactical Squads - makes up the bulk of the Warband's forces, and makes extensive use of Land Speeders. Masters in the art of Hit-and-Run Tactics, the Brothers of the Seventh move in quickly and kill cleanly before disappearing before the enemy has a chance to respond. They are led by the former Seventh Company Captain; Remus - who rides into battle with his Land Speeder Tempest. The few remaining members of Eighth Company are now made up of Raptors and Warp Talons who have fully given themselves up to the Ruinous Powers. Egotistical and self-centered, the Raptors of the Eighth now serve as the Star Wolves' shock troops, and strike quicker than their brothers of the Seventh, and leave a bedraggled sight in their wake. The Warp Talons on the other hand, are often set loose to cut down the enemy's leader in order to disrupt moral and potentially make the entire enemy force surrender; depending on who it is they are clashing with. Commanded by the Eighth's Captain during and after the Chapter's purge, Vaxil - who only answers to Murthek Silvertooth and the Dark Gods with any fealty. Warband Fleet *Haalibr '('Strike Cruiser)- Warband Flagship and former Strike Cruiser of the Seventh Company. Is known to possess a powerful Nova Cannon. *Tartarus (Strike Cruiser) - Sister Ship to the ''Haalibr and former Strike Cruiser of the Eighth Company. *''Wolves Proclivity (Battle Barge) - Former Flagship of the Warband. Destroyed by the Grey Knights in the endgame of the warband's decimation. *Adolphus' Heart (Strike Cruiser) - Former strike cruiser of the Second Company. Boarded and destroyed by Grey Knights in the initial assault on their homeworld. Warband Relics Before their betrayal, the Star Wolves jealously guarded the holy relics that they had been passed down or gifted to them throughout the Ages. While the Second Siege of their Homeworld saw many of these relics lost, the Warband was able to recover a handful of their treasures, and have even been able to collect a number of Ruinous Weapons forged by the ethereal flame of Chaos. Among these relics include: *Vlk’Xur'' - The Fell Blade of Chaos that singlehandedly corrupted the entire Chapter into the service of the Dark Gods. None know what kind of daemon dwells in the sword, be it one of the Four Powers or a lesser God, or why it was bound to the weapon. What is known is that the Daemon within the blade gifts it's wielder with immense strength, as well as a shield that takes on the form of black ichor. *''Wolfsmund'' - Relic Gauntlets that are rumored to date back to the Horus Heresy, and possibly the Great Crusade. The Star Wolves' very first Chapter Master was gifted these weapons when the Chapter was first founded, and were passed down to each Chapter Master in succession. Since the Warband's excommunication, Murthek Silvertooth - the Star Wolves' last Chapter Master and current leader - has refused to wield the Gauntlets in combat. Outfitted with a twin-linked bolter attached to the knuckles, along with a pair of chainblades attached to the wrists, Wolfsmund ''has somehow resisted corruption and has not morphed into a different form despite the large amount of time the Star Wolves have spent in the Immaterium. Notable Star Wolves *'Murthek Silvertooth'''- The Chaos Lord and former Chapter Master of the Star Wolves, Murthek Silvertooth is a cunning, powerful, and overall dangerous individual. Bearing his terminator plate, Silvertooth leads the warband against the Imperium that betrayed them. *'Adaira' - The former First Company Captain and former Second-in-Command of the warband, Adaira has since been encased within a Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought after suffering serious wounds from fighting Captain Samarus of the Praeterfactors. *'Hajr' - Former Vanguard Veteran Sergeant of First Company. Currently Murthek's Second-in-Command and Shipmaster of the Haalibr. '' *'Hrolf (Deceased) - Former Captain of the Second Company. Slain by a Grey Knights Justicar upon the bridge of Adolphus' Heart. '' *'Nuntis (Deceased) - '''Former Captain of the Sixth Company. Butchered alongside Sixth Company upon the surface of Svalbard. *Ülêric'''- The Star Wolves' Reclusiarch during and after the Second Siege of Svalbard. Ülêric - like all other Reclusiarchs - was charged with overseeing the Reclusiam by the Master of Sanctity. The Reclusiam is known to be the holiest place within a Chapter's fortress-monastery, and also serves as the house for the Chapter's holy relics. A terrible irony it is, to realize that this would be the place where Ülêric would fall prey to the temptations of the Ruinous Powers. Ülêric would later go on to slay the Master of Sanctity in cold blood before replacing the Chaplain's rigorous teachings of faith in the Emperor with his own faith in the Dark Gods of Chaos. *'Vilkos' - In ages long since past, Vilkos was once a believer in the Omnissiah and Master of the Forge. Those days are no more, and Vilkos is now a twisted version of his former self. The former Master of the Forge is now one of the many Warpsmiths found within the Forces of Chaos, serving to create terrible Daemon Engines and maintain the warband's equipment. No longer does he revere the Machine; instead he seeks to bind it to his will. Quotes By: About: Gallery StarWolvesSM2.jpg|A Star Wolves Heretic in Mark VI Power Armour. Svalbard.jpg|Svalbard, the Star Wolves' Homeworld before their Fall to Chaos. Category:Chaos Warbands Category:Chaos Space Marines Category:Star Wolves Category:Excommunicate Traitoris Category:Chaos